Mansfields R Us

Before I get to my thoughts, I just want to thank Tyrel and Amber for keeping up on the blog. I know for sure that I haven't done as much as I should or could, so I am grateful for the experiences and spiritual thoughts they have posted as an example to the rest of us. I want to echo Tyrel's sentiment that we need to more consistently post on the blog so that we can become more unified as a family in spiritual matters as well as more aware of the experiences each of us have in our daily lives. Anyway, the last two or three days have been simultaneously extremely busy and incredibly rewarding at the MTC. I worked for about 9 1/2 hours on Wednesday, a little over 11 hours yesterday, and today will be another 10-hour day spent here, with just a couple 30-minute to an hour breaks in between shifts. I love it though and wouldn't have it any other way. I love these amazing Elders and Sisters so much and am constantly blown away at the rate of their growth in Tagalog and in their testimonies and understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every group that enters the MTC seems to be more and more prepared when they get here. I have had so many awesome experiences the last few days with the missionaries in my new district as well as the other missionaries in my zone. They are truly called of God and fully worthy of their calling. The other day I had the opportunity to participate in a Zone Coordinators Council where all the Zone Coordinators like myself in the entire European-Asian Area met with our Training Coordinators and the Manager of Training over the area in order to discuss the progress and needs of the teachers and missionaries in our respective zones. Our Manager of Training showed us a video of a talk by Elder Bednar from a leadership meeting in England where he talked about teaching to 'the one' instead of to a group. He explained that Christ always taught according to the needs of the individual, even when preaching to thousands, and that it was the best way to truly make a difference for both the individual and the group, because when one person is able to change and become more like the Savior, he or she will naturally be led by the Spirit to help another individual do the same, as will that person, and so on. The concept wasn't really a new one of course, but the way he explained it opened my eyes a little more and made the concept more clear than it had been previously. As I have kept that thought in mind over the past few days, I started to realize that one of the best ways to meet the needs of 'the one' as he said, was to make apparent to everyone around you your complete and absolute dependence on God, so that as they see the way your life is blessed because of that dependence or reliance on Heavenly Father and the Savior, they will come to realize that they must do the same in order to receive the blessings they most desire.

P.S. Tyrel, when I read your comment about this blog becoming a resource you can use for your lessons as a seminary teacher, I immediately thought of the things I shared above about teaching 'the one'. Hopefully I expressed myself clearly enough to provide at least some insight that may help you. Thanks again for all of your and Amber's posts.